Join the Bead Journal Project 2010!

If you liked the idea of journaling with (some) beads, you can join the BJP too. Here is more information:

• The new Bead Journal Project starts in January 2010.
• Registration starts October 1, 2009 at beadjournalproject.com/reg.htm.
• No experience is necessary! The goal is to create one visual journal piece a month for a year that includes beads.
• Participants work can be seen at beadjournalproject.com/bjp.htm.

I liked the experience a lot. I learned a lot and I had fun. So join us!

soe

UFO finished.

I feel more energetic now that I am losing weight. That is nice! So I got the inspiration to finish an UFO. The bracelet is inspired by a bracelet in Beadwork, I can't find the specs right now. Love to hear your comment.

soe

BJP May

There is not much meaning behind the piece of May. Because May was a long time ago and I just finished it. So it's not a journal either. But there are 5's and 9's in it (for May 2009). And it was an experiment for me. To me this is a very Dutch piece, because of the colors: red, white, blue (of the flag) and Orange (of the kingdom). For some reason these colors remind me of May.

The colors also inspired me to make a bracelet in Delfts Blue, also a very Dutch piece.

Let me know what you think!

You can see an overview of all the BJP pages from soe here. Thank you for watching and commenting!

soe

June down, April, May, August to go

In June I started thinking about losing weight. I am over 40 years, busy life, and there are too many downsides to being overweight. The biggest one for me is that I can't seem to hold my kids close enough. My belly is in between. I know that it's not true in the real sense of the word and it may sound strange. But it feels like that to me and I really dislike it. So, at the end of June I decided to do something about it and I knew what. Yesterday I started my diet and it feels good that I am not waiting anymore (for a magic touch of the fairy or something else to get me moving).

The big one is a 6 and a 9 for June 2009. The small figure is a pendant I got from my mother and my sister as a fertility symbol out of a folk museum. And when I have lost some weight we might have a shot at no 3 (children that is). It reminds me very much of a figure from (o gosh, what's his name? Famous artist, same time as Picasso, worked in France). I'll edit that later! Yep, Giacometti.

I would very much like to hear your comments. Thank you in advance!

A little secret.

These are the diaries I made so far. In every entry I tried to get the month and the year in. Can you find the dates? Some you aren't able to see because of the way the picture is taken, some are in your face and some are more difficult. I am curious what you find out. Let me know!

July is done (but April, May and June aren't!).

Yes, still somewhat behind (snicker), but working. Right now I am enjoying my holiday and am able to bead some. So, here is July 2009. Not much symbolism that I am aware of. I had to tidy up my bead stash and saw these colors laying together. They looked like summer to me, so I started to use them and just stitched away. In retrospect it reminds me of the park I am cycling through to get to work: all the flowers and greens and the paths in the fields.

I am thinking about June, that will be the next one I'll do. If you feel like it: please let me know what you think. Thank you!

March is done

Now I am two months behind. Yes, I feel the pressure!
Here is March.
My bankcard is glued on stiff stuff and I used the colors of my bank. I made a web for the financial web in which a lot of people are caught. And were I am sometimes caught in, or at least it feels that way. This month is about our finances. With two children going to daycare for 3 days a week, a house and all that, we have to take care. Or better: I have to take care, since I am known to have these outbursts of moneyspending. I put some old European coins in the web: worthless money. That is how it feels to me with this global economical crisis. I count my blessings: two beautiful, great, healthy boys, a super husband (although we are not married), a rewarding job, all of our parents around, and so much more.
I love to hear your comments!

BJP February 2009

February is done. Here are my thoughts about it. Since the Chinese New Year has started in February I put down a dragon and the Chinese character for Ox (the year of the Ox has started). For me thinking about China is connected with the Tibethan culture and their struggle for freedom. March 10 is my birthday and also the day the Tibet was invaded by the Chinese. So I put down the Tibethan year that started in February too: 2136. In dots.

It defines a new start, spring is on its way, I start to awaken again.

I like the all white part. Since there are no colors to distract your attention goes to the form. All these tiny little parts that lay together and form something bigger is one of the reasons why I am so attracted to beads. I like the black and white with one more color. Because that works with almost all colors.

So, I would like to know what you think about it!

Still alive

Haven't fallen out of the BJP yet. Really! I have December 2008 and January 2009 to show for it. And started on the February 2009. Still too late, but hanging in there.

December was busy. Making some bracelets for Christmas, I didn't have much inspiration for December. I wanted to use red and green because they fit the Christmas theme and because they are out of my comfort zone. Apart from that I didn't know what was going to happen on the circle.

The colors still are out of my comfort zone. I am not very pleased with the result because of that. I do like the little Christmas tree, because that was improvised and turned out good. And I like having experimented.

So for January I used colors I like. And the ton-sur-ton that I am addicted to. The colors are for a new beginning, a fresh start. Not yet full of color but getting there. In the middle is a tibethan sign, I don't know what it is for (I remember for a long, prosperous life, but I am not sure). And I was thinking mandala. Maybe it is a bit boring, but I like it a lot.

For February I am thinking Chinese New Year, a dragon, year of the ox, Tibethian year of 2136, black, white, red.

March maybe something with flowers and loss of money. We are on a tight budget these days so it might be good to bead about it.

Next time I will show you the bracelets I finally made for myself. Again in the same angle as the last ones I was showing, but heck, I wanted some for myself!